In case you may have forgotten, what with all the Thunderbolts* hoopla as of late, the 2025 TV schedule as another morsel of Marvel to offer while waiting for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The long awaited return of Riri Williams in Ironheart is on deck for June, and star Dominique Thorne has just dropped the best piece of hype we’ve had in a while. Apparently, her performance has nabbed a very important thumbs up.
Speaking with Empire on behalf of the show (which will be available with a Disney+ subscription), the returning Black Panther: Wakanda Forever player told a story about wrapping the series that she won’t soon forget. Especially when the original Iron Man himself expressed his happiness for the June 24th debut, through the following methods:
Robert Downey Jr and I spoke just after we wrapped, and he shared some very lovely words about my journey.He told me how excited he was and that he’s rooting for it, too. I literally got two thumbs up. It’s really reassuring to know you’re not embarrassing Iron Man.
To get that sort of reaction from MCU royalty speaks volumes towards what we should expect from Ironheart. Robert Downey Jr. isn’t exactly a person to blow smoke at his colleagues or his audience, so that excitement is even more palpable.
It all adds up to a perfect cocktail of hype, as the love only amplifies that anticipation, as we’re preparing to see Riri Williams in live-action for the first time since 2022. And with some internet chatter claiming that Marvel isn’t hyping the series up as much as the audience might like, this could make up for the supposed radio silence.
Of course, as we must with any Marvel TV show, it’s time to talk about the future. It seems prudent, considering a potential confrontation between the big bad of the Avengers: Doomsday cast and his would-be protege is too good to pass up.
That doesn’t seem too far out, considering The Marvels’ ending has started to set up the Young Avengers team. So the membership of Dominique Thorne’s character is sitting right on the table. Then again, considering how Thunderbolts*’ recently spoiled title change factors into things, that might be a move best saved for Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027.
Marvel’s cinematic universe is about to turn another corner, as Ironheart closes out Phase 5, before The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens Phase 6 this July. So anything truly can happen, and our patience will be rewarded sooner rather than later.
For now, it’s safe to say that the Ironheart hype is real! We’ll all get to see what’s made Robert Downey Jr. so happy about it on June 24th. Meanwhile, Thunderbolts* is currently at the start of its theatrical run, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps welcomes the Future (Foundation) on July 25th.
